Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Two Wild Edible Mushrooms from Turkey

The purpose of this study was to determine the antioxidant and antiradical activities in methanol extracts of two edible mushrooms from Turkey, Agaricus urinascens (Jul. Schäff. & F.H. Møller) Singer and Volvopluteus gloiocephala (DC.) Vizzini, Contu & Justo, as well as to examine trace elements (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Co, Cr, Cd, Pb), minerals (Mg, Ca, K, Na) and vitamin C content. The levels of trace elements and minerals were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Vitamin C and antioxidant properties were measured with a spectrophotometer. According to the results, total antioxidant activity and phenolic and flavonoid contents of A. urinascens and V. gloiocephala were 67.53 ± 2.54 mM ascorbic acid/g and 31.68 ± 2.27 mM ascorbic acid/g, 6.88 ± 0.31 mg GA/g and 5.22 ± 0.53 mg GA/g, and 3.80 ± 0.04 mg QE/g and 2.60 ± 0.20 mg QE/g, respectively. The findings of this study indicated that methanol extract of A. urinascens has a significant antioxidant activity and contents of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds. However, V. gloiocephala contains high levels of Ca, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Na, whereas A. urinascens contains higher levels of Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, and Zn than that of V. gloiocephala. Some trace elements that are in the compound of macrofungi may contribute the antioxidant capacity of macrofungi. A. urinascens has the ability to accumulate some heavy metals that prevent environmental metal pollution and can be used as a biomonitor. A. urinascens is expected to be used as an antioxidant in future studies of experimental animal models, against free radicals generated in response to oxidative stress.